With panoramic views stretching out along one of the country’s premier coastline strips, bound by verdant rolling hills and farmland north and south, this gorgeous home in Coopers Shoot has been designed to offer its lucky inhabitants pure escapism.
The home‘s new look melds worlds – a casual coolness and beach-house charm befitting its close proximity to laidback coastal villages and the respite and calm of its lush natural setting, with an effortless designer sensibility.
“The home was envisioned to become my client’s own ‘escape to the country’,” explains Alan McMahon, founder of the boutique interior design studio MAC Design Studio, who oversaw the home’s clever revamp. “Our client wanted us to place an emphasis on elevating the alfresco aspect of the home’s living spaces, ushering in those sensational views and opening up the living zones, which essentially became key to the overall project. Fortunately, they also had a very open mind to the design process, which resulted in this very special outcome.”
Emphasising the entry space has created a real sense of arrival to the property. Huge glass doors and timber stairs lead the way to a double-height first floor, which includes a large open-plan lounge and entertaining space that, along with the kitchen and dining areas, create a natural hub for the family to relax. Bifold doors open up the living zones and usher residents and guests out onto the large balcony, where they can entertain, drink in those sensational views and enjoy the good life.
Alan was keen to incorporate a range of international and Australian contemporary furnishing brands in the design, including Living Edge, Jardan, Armadillo, Cult and The DEA Store, as well as local artists and businesses based in the Byron area, like Shackpalace Rituals, Pampa, Pop & Scott, Zakay Studio & Gallery, Suvira McDonald sculptures, Sunday Supply Co and Jordana Henry, with pieces further enhanced by the client’s own artwork.
There’s a strong sense of cohesion throughout the home, with a play of tones and textures that complement key materials, such as bleached ash herringbone flooring, coloured wall panelling in hits of sky blue and teal, bespoke joinery in treated timbers and natural stone in neutral grey tones. Case in point? The casual edginess of the master suite, with its combination of teal wall panelling and timber joinery, which has been conceived by MAC Design Studio to feel more like a high-end hotel. A free-flowing layout heightens the sense of a luxurious retreat, with a sumptuous bed central to the space and positioned against a flanking wall, allowing for a hidden yet spacious powder room and dressing area behind.
The result is a home that effortlessly combines the best elements of beach and country with a contemporary spin, and plenty of the casually hip personality of its dreamy Northern Rivers location.
Words: Natalie Bannister. Styling: Felicity NG. Photography: Lynden Foss
